Dylan Day Events 2017

ONLINE

15 March until 5 May, and on 14 May – Love the Words, Discover Dylan Thomas.comHannah Ellis, Dylan’s granddaughter, will be co-running this competition from her new Discover Dylan Thomas website, in partnership with Dylan Day. Create your own poem by ‘cutting up’ the words of Dylan Thomas; photograph your work; then share it on Twitter. Use the hashtags #DylanDay and #LovetheWords to add your poem and read many others! The competition is open to young people aged 7-25, from mid-March until 5 May. After this, you may still join in with the fun, but on 5 May Hannah will begin to choose her favourite poems and then share these in an exclusive gallery on her website on International Dylan Thomas Day, 14 May. Find out more at www.discoverdylanthomas.com

14 May – DylanED – ‘How Dylan Inspires Me’, Swansea University
Primary school children aged 8-11 years are invited via their schools to participate in our competition. Entries may include drawings, poems, short stories, models – anything creative inspired by Dylan Thomas! The winning image will feature on Swansea University’s home page on Dylan Day and the winner will receive a number of goodies including books for their school library. All images will feature in an online exhibition in celebration of Dylan Day. Further details to follow soon. The DylanED Programme is the educational strand of the International Dylan Thomas Prize. Creativity and imagination know no boundaries. DylanED is all about introducing young people to the world of literature and encouraging them to develop their own creativity.

SWANSEA

10 May – International Dylan Thomas Prize in partnership with Swansea University – 2017 Award Ceremony and Reception, 7.00 pm
The International Dylan Thomas Prize in partnership with Swansea University is one of the most prestigious literary awards for young writers. Previous winners include: Rachel Tresize, Lucy Caldwell, Maggie Shipstead and Joshua Ferris. The internationally acclaimed 2016 winner, Max Porter, went on to win the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and the Books Are My Bag Reader’s Award for his remarkable debut Grief is the Thing with Feathers which is currently being translated into 25 languages. You are invited to share the moment with us and our shortlisted authors. The event includes: the announcement of the winner of the prestigious 2017 International Dylan Thomas Prize for published writers aged 39 and under, and live readings by the shortlisted authors. Copies of the shortlist and winning book will be available to purchase at the event from independent bookseller Cover to Cover. Which author will win the coveted £30,000 Prize?
Tickets: £8.00 (£6.00 concessions). The ticket price includes a glass of wine and canapés at the reception and entry to the awards ceremony.
The Great Hall, Swansea University (Bay Campus), Swansea SA1 8EN.
Book tickets online at www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk. Tickets available from the Great Hall Box Office 01792 604900 / 604999. Tickets for this event can be collected from either The Great Hall or Taliesin Arts Centre prior to the performance day, or at The Great Hall on the day of the event.
Find out more: www.swansea.ac.uk/dylan-thomas-prize/

12 May – Under Milk Wood Twitter Exchange #6, Dylan Thomas Centre, 10am – 4pmFor the sixth year, the Dylan Thomas Centre celebrate the anniversary of the first stage performance of Under Milk Wood by presenting conversations from the residents of Llareggub via twitter. Join in @DTCSwansea as extracts of Dylan’s ‘play for voices’ are tweeted throughout the day.

13 May – Permanent Exhibition ‘Love the Words’, Dylan Thomas CentrePermanent exhibition celebrating the work, life and cultural context of Dylan Thomas, open every day from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm. Entry is free.

13 May – 22 December – Temporary Exhibition ‘I might want to smile’, Dylan Thomas CentreDylan Thomas’ work is full of humour, from his early Swansea Grammar School poems to later prose writing, such as ‘A Story’. His doodles and drawings also demonstrate his sense of fun. This exhibition brings together loan material from the National Library of Wales alongside items from the centre’s own collection. They will also display for the first time a spoof of Under Milk Wood written by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall for the BBC’s ‘That Was the Week That Was’. Open daily, free.

13 May – Young Writers Squad, Dylan Thomas Centre, 10.00 am – 12.30 pmAward winning poet Jonathan Edwards leads a workshop with the Young Writers Squad. Please contact the Centre for more details about the Squad.

13 May – ‘Love the Words’: A Guided Tour, 10.30 am and 1.30 pmJoin the Literature Officer for an in-depth guided tour of the Dylan Thomas Exhibition and their current temporary exhibition of Dylan Thomas manuscripts and drawings. Please book ahead at http://www.dylanthomas.com
Full Price £5; Concessions £3.50; Swansea PTL £1.60

13 May – ‘I might want to smile’ Family Drop in Workshop, 1pm – 4pmInspired by the centre’s new exhibition ‘I might want to smile, you will create humorous stories through a variety of fun activities, from creating comic stories to designing funny characters with a crazy character maker. Recommended for families with children aged under 12 but all ages are welcome. Drop-in, free.

13 May – ‘As I was young and easy’, St James Church, Swansea, 7.00 pm
The Dylan Thomas Society, Dylan Thomas Birthplace, and Dunvant Male Choir will perform ‘as I was young and easy’ – a journey through Dylan’s life in words and music – at St James Church, Uplands, Swansea from 7.00 pm. Tickets £8.00. See www.dylanthomasbirthplace.com for info or contact the Birthplace on: 01792 472555 / info@dylanthomasbirthplace.com

14 May – Dylan Day Drop in Activities, 10.00 am – 4.00 pmThe centre’s family friendly Learning Space will be open for free self-led play. Activities include creative writing, make a mini comic, puppets, games, reading corner, crafts and dressing up costumes, all inspired by Dylan Thomas. Great for families with children of all ages. Drop-in, free.

14 May – Return Journey, Swansea, 10.30 am
Lighthouse Theatre’s celebrated promenade performance of Dylan Thomas’ Return Journey on the streets of Swansea makes a welcome ‘return’ for a special one-off this Dylan Day. Starting in Castle Square and finishing in Cwmdonkin Park this two hour show is a unique exploration of the ugly lovely town seen through Dylan’s eyes and memories. Developed for the Dylan Thomas 100 centenary celebrations it has since been developed into an app and was one of the top three shows of the festival on the BBC Arts Review of the Year 2014.‘One of the most innovative shows of this year’s festival’ – The Daily Telegraph
10.30 am at Castle Square walking to Cwmdonkin Drive (wet weather venue available). Finishing by 12.15 pm.
Tickets: £5.00. Contact: 0780 141 8135 or lighthousetheatreltd@gmail.com

14 May – ‘Translating Dylan’, Dylan Thomas Birthplace, 2.00 pm
The Department of Languages, Translation and Interpreting at Swansea University invites you to join them for ‘Translating Dylan’ at Dylan Thomas’s birthplace, 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea. Join them on Dylan Day at 2.00 pm to hear how one of Dylan’s great poems makes a journey through French, German, Spanish, Welsh and more. This is a free event; all welcome.

14 May – Do Not Go Gentle in collaboration with Dylan’s Mobile Bookstore – at Cinema & Co, Swansea, 7.00 pm
This year Do Not Go Gentle, as part of Swansea’s Celebration of International Dylan Thomas Day are going slightly off piste and celebrating another great poet – Allen Ginsberg, and particularly his great LSD influenced poem – ‘Wales Visitation’ – which he wrote in Wales 50 years ago this year. But Ginsberg was influenced by Dylan Thomas and they had a brief, remarkable meeting in New York City in 1952. There will be a showing of Iain Sinclair’s film on Ginsberg in 1967 London – Ah Sunflower: Launching a new book with a nod to Dylan ~ 18 Poems by Bolton boyo Oliver James Lomax: Entertained with riotous spoken word from Swansea collective Poets On The Hill: hearing about Allen’s meeting with Dylan and listening to Wales Visitation with Jeff Towns and actor Ceri Murphy: and finally rocking out with Cardiff bluesabilly trio The Irascibles.
Tickets £5.00 on the door. Cinema & Co, Swansea.
Supported by Literature Wales.

14 May – Book Launch and Reading, The Dylan Thomas Birthplace, 1.00 pm
Poet Hamish Wilson will read from his new, illustrated collection Away from the Welsh Speaking Sea – a sequence based on a tour of The Dylan Thomas Birthplace with a sonnet for each room, including the loo. Signed copies of the book, by both poet and artist, Bill Bytheway, will be on sale afterwards. Free.

LAUGHARNE

13 & 14 May – Under Milk Wood: Painting and Puppets, The Tin Shed
Exhibition of paintings featuring characters from Under Milk Wood by artist and Tin Shed helmsman Seimon Pugh-Jones, along with knitted puppet versions of the characters created by artist Annie Hardy. The Tin Shed is open from 10.00 am till 4.30 pm on Saturday and 1.30 pm till 4.30 pm on Sunday. For more information visit: www.tinshedexperience.co.uk

14 May – International Live Poetry Reading, The White Lion, 3.00 pm
Following the success of last year’s live link-ups between New York, Stockholm and Wales to commemorate Dylan Day, the White Lion in Ferryside will once again be the technical hub for collaborative international events in America, Sweden, Portugal and Ireland with venues in Wales associated with Dylan Thomas. The White Lion is in the small fishing village of Ferryside and is one of several pubs overlooking the Tywi estuary that feature in Thomas’ personal history. West Wales literary organisation write4word, with the support of Literature Wales, are responsible for a series of literary episodes that will engage Welsh, European and American writers in celebrating the life and works of Wales’ greatest English language export. Members of the Piraten Society will be holding an associated event in Tranås, Sweden and aim to publish on their website on Dylan Day an English language version of an article by Ferryside poet Dominic Williams about Dylan Thomas and Swedish writer Nils Fritiof Piraten. The local literary community in Ferryside hope to use Dylan Day as a lever to move forward their ambition to republish Beryl Hughes’ book, through Ferryside publisher Iconau Books, The Cats Whiskers about the influences of local characters in their village upon Under Milk Wood. The writers from New York who will be participating in the event will be visiting Wales later in the month as participants in the Dylan Thomas Summer School run in Lampeter by the School of English and Creative writing at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Free to attend. Supported by Literature Wales.

NEW QUAY

14 May – Craft Your Characters in the Crow’s Nest, New Quay Yacht Club, 2.00 – 4.00 pmSamantha Wynne-Rhydderch will lead a walking workshop involving a 20 minute meander around five stops on the Dylan Thomas trail in New Quay with a writing prompt at each stop related to a different character from Under Milk Wood. Participants will then head to the Crow’s Nest (at the top of the Yacht Club on New Quay Pier) to explore creating character in verse/flash fiction. The event will end with a 10 minute performance on the balcony of the Crow’s Nest where each participant will be invited to perform their character to assembled visitors and dolphins. The event will be limited to 8 people so that each participant can receive a high level of feedback on their work. £8.00 per person. Contact sam@rhydderch.com for details and bookings. Supported by Literature Wales.

WREXHAM

14 May – Poetry Readings & Drop-In Workshop with the Young People’s Laureate for Wales and the National Poet of Wales at Chirk Castle, 11.30 am – 1.30 pm
Join Young People’s Laureate for Wales, Sophie Mckeand, in a drop-in writing workshop for all ages from 11.30 am – 12.30 pm. Then, at 12.45 pm, Sophie will be joined by National Poet of Wales, Ifor ap Glyn, for an exclusive reading of their verse in the castle’s elegant chapel. Started in 1295, Chirk Castle, cared for by the National Trust, was one of several medieval marcher fortresses sited on the Welsh-English border to keep the Welsh under English rule. In 1910 Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Lord Howard de Walden, fell in love with Chirk Castle, and negotiated a lease with the Myddelton Family, which continued until 1946. Tommy became Dylan’s patron. On Christmas Eve 1940, homeless and broke, Dylan wrote him a moving letter, seeking further help and enclosing six recent poems. Tommy settled his debts and let him have the Apple House, a stone cottage in the garden at Plas Llanina, Newquay. Chirk Castle is open seven days a week, from 12.00 noon to 5.00 pm, until 1 November: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chirk-castle. Admission charges – Adults: £12.20 / Children: £6.10 / Under 5s and National Trust members free. This event is included in the admission.
For information contact intdylanthomasday@gmail.com. Supported by Literature Wales.

PONTYPRIDD

17 May – Free Write, Pontypridd LibraryJoin local writers for a special Dylan-themed writing session. Writers in any form and of any experience welcome. Please bring pen and paper. Hosted by poet Mab Jones. Free.

17 May – The Salon, Clwb y Bont, 7.30pm
An open mic open to all styles of creative performance, from poetry and storytelling to music, song, circus, and anything else. A special themed event, this session asks you to bring something inspired by Dylan, his work or his themes. Hosted by Cara Cullen.

OXFORD

14 May – International Dylan Thomas Day Walk, Oxford Castle Unlocked, 2.00 – 4.00 pm, starting from Castleyard Cafe, Oxford Castle, OX1 1AY
A two-hour, central Oxford ‘walk on the Welsh side’, with reference to eminent ‘sons of Cambria’ such as Geoffrey of Monmouth, Gerald of Wales, ‘Beau’ Nash, T. E. Lawrence, and an incalculable number of Joneses, as well as Dylan Thomas himself. Passing from west to east, from the River Thames to the Cherwell, from Town to Gown, from pre-Roman to post-War, this walk of about one-and-a-half miles with local historian, guide, and author Mark Davies will pass by “beer-imbibing, Welsh-rarebit-fed” Jesus College, the ancient Turf Tavern (one of Dylan’s favourite pubs, among many favourite pubs!), and end at Magdalen College, where Dylan resided while in Oxford in the 1940s. The ticket price includes entrance to Magdalen College, founded in the 15th century, where participants will be able to explore the extensive grounds and deer park at leisure at the end of the walk. If you are an Oxford resident, a student, or over 60, please bring proof with you.
Expect ‘tales of youth’ and of ‘rough and adventurous relaxations’; of leeks, and harps and toasted cheese; of at least one Red Herring; and of treachery, magic, and dragons.
Tickets £12.00, from: www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk/events/event/international-dylan-thomas-day-oxford-walk/ or in person from Oxford Castle Unlocked.
Maximum group size: 20 people. Why not make a day of it by exploring Oxford Castle in the morning? There is a 25% discount on usual Unlocked prices for participants on the International Dylan Thomas Day walk.

9 May – Shortlist celebration of the International Dylan Thomas Prize, at the British Library, 7.00 pm
The shortlisted authors for the 2017 International Dylan Thomas Prize, in partnership with Swansea University, will be performing at the British Library on 9 May. This prestigious event is open to the public and will feature live readings by the authors and a Q&A with the audience. Tickets: £8.00. www.bl.uk/events

13 May – Saboteur Awards, Vout-O-Reenee’s, 6.00 pm-11.00 pm
The Saboteur Awards are back for a 7th year, celebrating the best of indie literature. This awards evening features results, site-specific performances and the possibility of buying the shortlisted works. This year’s Wildcard Award is sponsored by International Dylan Thomas Day, with special Dylan Thomas prizes and a certificate supplied to the winner.
At Vout-O-Reenee’s, 30 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB. Tickets: £12.00 / £7.00 concessions.
Book tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saboteur-awards-2017-tickets-32024835144. Supported by Literature Wales.

14 May – London Literary Pub Crawl, Fitzrovia, 5.00 pmFollow in Dylan’s footsteps in Fitzrovia on a Dylan Day Literary Pub Crawl. Visit the public houses and taverns in the literary heart of London frequented by Dylan Thomas and many of his contemporaries, including George Orwell, Anthony Burgess, Brendan Behan, and T.S Eliot. See where the giants of the literary world ate, drank, discussed, thought and worked, relive the moment Dylan met Caitlin at The Wheatsheaf Pub. This unique tour is artist-led and arranged by the not-for-profit charity The Maverick Theatre Company. It takes in not only the history of literature in London but some of its contemporary places and spaces too and looks at some key elements in our writers’ lives. Tickets are usually £24.00. The Dylan Day price is £12.00. Start: 5.00 pm. Supported by Literature Wales. https://londonliterarypubcrawl.com/dylan-thomas-day.php

14 May – Launch of Discovering Dylan Thomas: A Companion to the Collected Poems and Notebook Poems by John Goodby and Ugly, Lovely by Hilly Janes, at The Wheatsheaf, 5.30 – 7.30 pmJohn Goodby will launch his new book from University of Wales Press at The Wheatsheaf, and Hilly Janes will read from her book Ugly, Lovely (Parthian). Goodby’s book contains the very first appearance of material from Dylan’s fifth notebook, discovered in 2014. It therefore includes previously unseen material – no new poems as such, but whole verses and lines he cut from poems before they were published. It also includes material from previously unknown library archives.
Free to attend. For more information, contact: j.goodby@swansea.ac.uk
Supported by Literature Wales.

14 May– Guy Masterson Under Milk Wood, The Wheatsheaf, 2.00 – 4.00 pm
Celebrating International Dylan Thomas Day, come and hear Dylan Thomas’ masterwork as never before by Guy Masterson – “one of the finest exponents of Dylan’s works in the world.” Masterson was introduced to Dylan Thomas by his uncle, the actor, Richard Burton – whose mellifluous voice is now synonymous with the first broadcast of Under Milk Wood in January 1954. Masterson first performed the work solo in 1994 and has since given over 2000 performances, globally, to universal critical acclaim. Supported by a magnificent soundscape by Rolling Stones collaborator and composer Matt Clifford, Masterson makes Dylan’s enchanting masterpiece sing. In the intimate surroundings of The Room Upstairs @ The Wheatsheaf, this we be a live rendition unlike any other you have ever heard! The room has a maximum capacity of 50 so book early! £15 + booking fee. Tickets available here.

CARDIFF

13 May – Lit Fuse, Chapter, 2.00 – 4.00 pm
Lght the fuse in a one-off creative writing workshop that begins with, ‘The force that through the green fuse drives the flower… ‘ and uses other Dylan Thomas poems and a story to inspire writing that responds to the fullness of life and language in the spirit of Dylan’s ‘green age’ and your own. £8.00 / £6.00 concessions
Please message host Amanda Rackstraw to book. Places limited. amrackstraw@gmail.com

14 May – The Hold Up, Gwdihw, 6.00pm – 12.00am
Readings and performances from a number of active poets, lyricists and rappers/emcees all in some way influenced by Dylan Thomas. Featuring Ruffstylz, Rufus Mufasa, Turna Phrase , Chew, Pete AK, Nicodemus Reuben, Pun-Ra.

14 May – Live Graffiti Art, around Cardiff Castle, 11.00 am onwards
A number of graffiti artists will be painting boards around Cardiff Castle and the entrance to Bute Park. Rufus Mufasa(Dope Biscuits) will be picking out some Dylan Thomas lyrics to include in the pieces. Graffiti and hip-hop is a strong presence in Cardiff, and these artworks will give a nod to Dylan Thomas and his influence, as well as recognising the important contribution of rappers to Welsh culture. Cardiff Council Parks and all the artists involved hope that the work will be well received by the wide cross section of people who use the park.
Free event.

15 May – JUKE, Owain Glyndwr, 7.00 pm
JUKE is an open mic for writers based in Cardiff. The focus is experimental and innovative performance. On this special night we will be dedicating it to the illustrious Dylan Thomas as part of the festival Dylan Day. You can perform his original pieces or do your own work which is inspired by the Welsh bard. Hosted by Renn Hubbuck-Melly.

CARMARTHEN

12 May – Dylan Day Poetry Share, UWTSD, 1.00 – 2.00 pmStaff and students will be sharing their favourite poems to celebrate Dylan Day, 12 May 1.00 – 2.00 pm at Chapel foyer, Old College, UWTSD, Carmarthen, SA31 3EP. Open to the public.

SIX BELLS

14 May– Guardian Walk, Tŷ Ebbw Fach Heritage Centre, 11.30 am
Meet at the Heritage Centre for a history walk and talk to the inspirational Guardian Miners’
Memorial. Time in the Heritage Centre will be available to note your feelings and reactions to this emotive statue.Mostly tarmac surfaces underfoot and the walk should last around an hour. Tea and coffee available afterwards. No charge, but a donation to Six Bells Regeneration Ltd. requested. SBR is a social enterprise based in the Heritage Centre and supporting local groups and events. Those interested in attending should contact Meg Gurney on 01495 753629
or email mrsm.gurney@gmail.com to register your interest.

13 May – Dylan Thomas in Cornwall, Grampound
For a two year period, Dylan Thomas was a frequent visitor to Cornwall and little is known of what filled the emerging young poet’s time, other than, in July 1937, he brought the woman he loved to Penzance, where they married. But in 2015 this changed when theatre maker, Jak Stringer, unearthed an unpublished biography. Inspired by these memoirs and local news stories from that time, Jak and Linda Camidge created a show, which is a fascinating insight into the early years of the now world famous poet and a taste of life in pre-World War 2 Cornwall.
Dylan Thomas in Cornwall combines contemporary live performance, original music and film, to make an interesting, humorous and informative show.
Tickets in advance: Adults: £8.00 / Unwaged/Benefits: £7.00 / Child: £5.00.
Grampound Community Hall, Grampound, TR2 4SB. For more information, visit: www.crbo.co.uk/eventDetail.php?evGrp=5&evId=13784

14 May – History through the Looking Glass present two free events in Cornwall to celebrate International Dylan Thomas Day 2017

14 May – Dylan Thomas in Cornwall Performance Walk, Penzance, 2.00 pm
Meet in The Longboat Hotel, 55 Market Jew Street, Penzance, TR18 2HZ
For a two year period, poet Dylan Thomas was a frequent visitor to Cornwall and little is known of what filled the emerging young poet’s time, other than, in July 1937, he brought the woman he loved to the register office in Penzance, where they married. But in 2015 this changed when theatre maker, Jak Stringer, unearthed an unpublished biography. A rookie reporter on The Cornishman Newspaper, called Joe Martin, befriended Dylan Thomas in 1936 and recorded the adventures of the two young men during their friendship. Inspired by these memoirs and local news stories from that time, Jak Stringer and Linda Camidge created a history performance walk around Penzance, which will be a fascinating insight into the early years of the now world famous poet and a taste of life in pre-World War 2 Cornwall. So join Joe Martin and his fellow reporter Trevor, who will escort you to the pubs they drank in, tell you the headline stories of the time and recount the pranks they got up to with Dylan Thomas. “I am a big Dylan fan but knew nothing about this!”
The walk will last 90 minutes. Contact: 07814614764 / Facebook: www.facebook.com/dylanthomasincornwall

14 May – Dylan Thomas Sunday Speakeasy, Penzance, 4.00 – 7.00 pm
This is an open event for artists, poets, writers, to create a five minute piece inspired by the life and work of Dylan Thomas. Come and perform or relax and hear the work of others, while raising a glass to the great man. Bring along an item you feel sums up Dylan Thomas to display on our ‘Show and Tell’ table. This is a free community event for the people, by the people, everyone is welcome. Bath Inn Function Room, Cornwall Terrace, Penzance, TR18 4HL. For information, contact Jak Stringer on: 07814 614764

WALSALL

14 May – Poets and Painters, Old Square, 1.00 – 6.00 pm
Walsall will contribute to Dylan Day by hosting a small gathering of poets and painters. There will be leaflets and posters on Dylan and a challenge on their Facebook page calling for works based on Dylan and/or Welsh culture. There will be a huge canvas where artists are invited to collaborate on for the day and displayed in one of the open gallery spaces hosted by Direct Art Action.

NEW YORK

14 May – Under Milk Wood On Demand, 92Y Poetry Center, on demand
To mark International Dylan Thomas Day, the performance of Under Milk Wood directed by and starring Michael Sheen, recorded on the stage at the 92Y where Dylan himself took part in the first cast performance of his play for voices in 1953, will be available on demand to listen to on 14 May. Don’t miss this rare chance to hear this unique recording from Dylan’s centenary celebrations in 2014.